


Logarithms

by kotaforce



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Craft Store?, F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:40:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29057616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kotaforce/pseuds/kotaforce
Summary: “Erm, well, was there anything else you’d like to look at?” She patted her apron awkwardly, eyes straining to look anywhere else.The woman’s demeanor changed as she stood quietly. She dipped her head and chuckled to herself before looking up at Natalie with hooded eyes.“Well, I’ve liked looking at you.” There wasn’t a hint of shyness in her voice, her face glinted with mischief.OrNatalie works at a craft store and Renee can't help but tease her.
Relationships: Loba Andrade/Bangalore | Anita Williams, Wattson | Natalie Paquette/Wraith | Renee Blasey
Comments: 27
Kudos: 81





	1. Chapter 1

“Hi there! Did you find everything ok?” Natalie asked chipperly. She tuned out the customer's reply in favor of looking over their purchases. An adult coloring book and a pack of Hubba Bubba Bubblegum. $11.79.  
“Thanks for shopping at Olympus Crafts!” She waved as the patron walked through the automatic door with a swish of their shopping bag.  
“Slow day, yeah mate?” Ramya said, jumping on the counter next to Natalie’s register. Natalie closed the drawer with a metal clang and tucked her hands into her apron pockets.  
“Yeah, only my second customer of the day. When does Elliot come in?”  
“That idiot works at two, same shift as Anita. Says she schedules him that way so she can make sure he doesn’t blow up the store. Or steal company time taking too many selfies.” Ramya snickered, popping her own gum loud enough to cause an echo through the rafters.  
“Oh, so he’s off at nine? I thought we were hanging at your place tonight.” When she asked, Natalie felt a pit of disappointment hollow out her stomach. Her favorite part about college was fucking off with her friends. She, Ramya, Elliot, and Anita would goof around on shift, then go back to one of their apartments to play games and get drunk with Hound and Tae Joon. Those nights made the stress of her overly-demanding electrical engineering courses disappear.  
“No, we are. I have to pick up Elliot and then stop by Dr. Nox’s to get some more beer. Anita said she’ll be over when she finishes closing.” Ramya clarified and flicked her ponytail in the direction of the manager’s office. From her peripheral vision, Natalie saw another customer walk through the front doors.  
“Sounds like a plan. Just please don’t get the same nasty IPA shit you got last time.”  
“Yeah, whatever.” Ramya hopped off the counter. “Gonna go take a smoke break out back.”  
Natalie eyed her retreating form before looking down at her till and sighing. She fiddled with the buttons on the register, hoping that she could convince her brain she was busy. She blew air into her cheeks and gazed out the front windows. Absolutely no activity. Just a leaf rolling lazily along the sidewalk in the wind.  
She was so bored, she patted her hands back and forth on the counter until she thought to do some studying. Moving a strand of blonde hair behind her shoulder, she walked through the center aisle towards the break room to grab her textbook.  
A motion to her right caught her eye and she turned to look down aisle 10. The customer she had seen a few minutes ago appeared to be browsing the back shelf with her back facing Natalie.  
The girl seemed to be similar in age to Natalie, probably a student at SU like everyone else in the area. She had raven black hair tied in a bun that seemed put together, but not. Like a ballerina after a difficult performance. She wore a black runner’s pull over and deep purple Nike shorts. She had good legs.  
As Natalie took a few more seconds to observe, she realized the girl was flicking through their embossed metal posters. The ones with a rope across it and a sign that read Please Do Not Touch.  
Ever the model employee, Natalie took confident strides down aisle 10, apron swishing at her knees. When she was within conversation distance, she spoke up.  
“Excuse me, ma’am. We prefer that you not touch the posters, please.” Natalie stated diplomatically, her signature French charm wafting from her mouth. The customer paused and, without turning around, replied,  
“I prefer to know what I’m buying.”  
The woman’s voice was slightly raspy, disinterested and off in her own head. Her reply made Natalie flustered, she’d been completely brushed-off.  
“Oh….uh yes ma’am, I can understand that. Unfortunately, it’s policy for us to-“  
“Awhhh,” The customer drawled, turning around to face Natalie. “am I in trouble?” Her jab was accentuated by a dull ping as she let her body fall back against the poster display.  
Natalie’s eyebrows scrunched together and her face reddened in frustration as she observed her. She had dark eyebrows, her hair falling in her visage. Her eyes were half-lidded and she wore an irritating smirk. She looked teasing and….sultry. Natalie was at a complete loss on what to do. She was the customer service angel of Olympus Crafts, but what in God’s name was she supposed to say to a customer who was impervious to politeness?  
It wasn’t necessarily how she liked to present herself at work, but her mouth set in a line as Natalie decided that firmness was her only option.  
“I apologize, but are you going to buy anything? Otherwise I will have to ask that you leave.” Natalie straightened up as best she could, the woman was a few inches taller. Unfortunately, it seemed that her efforts hadn’t affected the customer at all, a subtle grin still resting on her lips.  
“If I see something I’m interested in I might take it.” Huffed the woman, playing at irritation. She’s enjoying this. Natalie thought, real irritation attempting to taint her face. She swallowed her tongue.  
“What might you be interested in? I’m happy to help you find something.” Her accent was thick as she battled her inner bitch with her job training. She turned partially sideways, letting her body language indicate her willingness to walk the aisles.  
“Hmm,” She offered in reply, chewing on the inside of her lip in an over-the-top, obvious way. “I like knives.” Natalie tried not to let her eyebrows flatten. She would.  
“Our knife case is down aisle 3. Follow me, I can unlock some for you if you want a closer look.” Natalie smiled and turned back the way she came. Now this is something I can handle.  
It took her about five steps to feel the overwhelming stare of the woman behind her. Her skin felt prickly and she smiled to brush it off.  
The short, silent journey came to an end as Natalie came to a stop in front of the glass structure. She took a breath in and planned her exit. This atmosphere was suffocatingly tense.  
“Let me know if you want to see anything up close, I need to...ah-“  
“You don’t have any kunai's.” The customer turned to her, the loose strands from her bun swishing wildly. She jutted her hip out and looked at Natalie as if to say ‘well?’  
“Erm, well, was there anything else you’d like to look at?” She patted her apron awkwardly, eyes straining to look anywhere else.  
The woman’s demeanor changed as she stood quietly. She dipped her head and chuckled to herself before looking up at Natalie with hooded eyes.  
“Well, I’ve liked looking at you.” There wasn’t a hint of shyness in her voice, her face glinted with mischief.  
Natalie felt her cheeks warm and her heart patter with nerves. Was this woman flirting with her? She hadn’t the slightest idea what to say. She was completely and totally flustered. Much to Natalie’s later embarrassment, her customer finally snorted and spoke up again.  
“Cute.” Was all she said, her ridiculous smirk still dancing across her face. Natalie didn’t look at her as she left the store, electing to watch her shoes do nothing instead. She stayed rooted in silence, playing their interaction over and over again in her mind.  
“You’re such a disaster lesbian.” Ramya taunted, a few feet away. Natalie looked up suddenly, surprised by her presence.  
“Oh shut up. Wait. . .what are you talking about?” She questioned, despite knowing very well what Ramya was referring to.  
“Anita and I spied on you with the cameras.”  
“God, of course.”  
“What is wrong with you? A pretty girl comes in and flirts with you, and you take on the personality of a flag pole. Guarantee she thinks you’re straight now.” The dark skinned woman gestured wildly with her hands, expressing her apparent exasperation.  
“Yeah, well….doesn’t matter, Anita’s friend Ajay is setting me up with someone over the weekend.”  
“So?! It’s not like you’re married!”  
“Ramya you are so incredibly dramatic. Is it almost time for Elliot’s shift? I can’t take much more of you without a buffer for you to bounce off of.” Natalie threw her tease over her shoulder, making her way back to her register. Ramya shot her the bird, thumb and all.  
“Saw that.” Came Anita’s scratchy voice through the walkie, marred by static. The blonde woman choked on a laugh as Ramya stared down the nearest camera like a five-year-old. “I’ll write you up if you get shit beer again.”  
Ramya whipped her radio from her back pocket and held it to her mouth with a death grip. “Bite me dyke.”  
“And your employee file gets thicker. . .”  
“Ok ok! I get it! Yes ma’am I won’t ever do it again, sergeant.” She drones into her radio, giving the camera a stiff-backed salute. “God, the only time she doesn’t have a stick up her ass is when there’s alcohol down her throat.” Ramya says quietly to her coworker, scuffing her sneakers against the linoleum as she makes her way back to the checkout. Natalie snickers, as much as Ramya wants to seem like a badass, she’s still scared shitless of Anita. Honestly, Natalie didn’t blame her. Antia was stern, emotionless, and terrifying. They would speculate about how bleak her love-life must be, then everything made sense when they met her girlfriend.  
Loba Andrade. She’s around the same height at Anita, but the woman wears heels for God’s sake! Her voice is smooth and suggestive, much like everything else about her persona. Nonetheless, she was still scary as all get-out. As much as Natalie loved women, it pained her to imagine those two in bed. There’s no way they don’t physically fight.  
The French girl had been on her best behavior towards Loba, though. She and Anita’s other friend Ajay were setting her up with another girl that goes to SU. Natalie liked to think that she wasn’t obvious, but Loba had sniffed her out in a minute. Her gaydar was enough to make Elliot run away from her, she’d called it ‘woman’s intuition’, or something like that.

Natalie’s first meeting with the Latina woman had somehow turned into Loba grilling her about women, towering above her and sticking her with her eyes.  
“You’re small,” She’d inquired, “and you’re sweet as an angel to anyone and everyone. I bet you like girls who are mean to you. You like to be played around with, huh?” Loba’s voice had been so confident, knowing even. Natalie remembered her face turning beat red and the taller woman grinning wickedly with satisfaction. “I know someone, angel.”  
Turns out this ‘date’ was really just another part of Anita’s elaborate scheme to combine her two friend groups. Her ‘work friends’ and her ‘school friends’, even though almost all of them went to Syndicate University.  
Before she knew it, Elliot came bouncing in the door 13 minutes late. He had earbuds in and half walker, half danced (if you could really call it dancing) all the way back to the office. Finally. Natalie sighed internally, she needed to go back to her apartment and distract herself from replaying the day’s events with loads of logarithms and other electrical equations.  
“Heyyyyy Anita,” She heard Elliot practically yell from the office, his voice was obnoxiously loud. “Sorry I’m a little, uh, not-on-time, I got a little carried away with my Magic for Intermediates DVD course. Hehe.”  
“Well Houdini, if you drop out of school and join clown college, you’ll have plenty of time for work!” Anita’s raised voice resounded from the back of the building. For someone who didn’t put up with piece-of-shit employees, she sure had a lot of piece-of-shit employees.  
A few minutes went by painfully slow, then Elliot was on the floor, relieving Natalie from her opening shift. She voiced a goodbye to her manager as she clocked off and grabbed her backpack from the break room. The blonde had a springy step, as she often did, making her way out the sliding glass door.  
“See you guys in a few hours!” She called over her shoulder with a cheery smile. She moved briskly through the mid-fall air and clambered into her car. Natalie drove home in silence, involuntarily thinking of messy, black hair and those cocky bedroom eyes.


	2. Lemon Pound Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has come for Natalie's blind date. Tae Joon loves fashion.

Natalie woke up groaning. She’d limited herself on drinks last night, but they still stayed up late enough to make her groggy in the morning. For the third night in a row she’d dreamt of her fateful encounter at work with the most difficult customer she’d ever met. 

Much to Natalie’s chagrin, her dreams had become increasingly...steamy. The last thing she could remember before waking up this morning was the taller woman’s arms planted on either side of her head, pinning her against the expensive poster display that she knew shouldn’t be touched. Natalie could feel her lip trembling-

“Wake up.” Tae Joon deadpanned, startling Natalie, who jumped like a teenager getting caught with a Playboy magazine. He knocked softly on her door before opening it gingerly. His roommate was still in bed, her face shoved into her pillow, but he knew she was awake. 

“It’s Saturday. You have your gay date today.” The blonde turned her head up at this, facing him in her doorway.

“Hey it’s not-. Okay technically it is a ‘gay date’, but it’s just a normal person date!” She protested, sitting up and dragging her body to the edge of the bed. “What time is it?”

“11:20”

“Shit!” Exclaimed Natalie, springing to her feet and shuffling around her room. “I need to eat and get dressed and leave by noon and-”

“Why noon? So you can be 30 minutes early?” He commented, still rooted to his spot in the doorway, eyes following his eccentric roommate. She stopped and leveled him with a pointed stare.

“Yes, so I can be 30 minutes early. My philosophy is-” 

“I know what your philosophy is.” Was his remark. This is how their conversations always went. Natalie was somewhat forgetful, and would repeat things to him multiple times, not remembering having said it previously. “On time is late. The short version, anyway.” 

“Exactly! And I've been practicing that since I could drive, so I'm not stopping now.”

Tae Joon decided to take his leave, electing to let Natalie putter around in peace. He headed to the kitchen to start on breakfast because, well, he had just awoken as well. Cold War didn't play itself, after all. And God knows his usual squad was shit without his quick-scopes. So, yes, he had been up until six, but he didn't need 15 hours of sleep a night like his best friend. Two was good enough for him.  
He slid the eggs onto two plates, sunny-side up, and Natalie rushed out into the kitchen, practically throwing herself into a barstool. 

He was expecting an apology, today was his dinner day and Natalie’s breakfast day, but the blonde appeared oblivious to his sacrifice. Nonetheless, Tae Joon had been trying to be more understanding lately, so he settled for a grimace to express his feelings as he sat himself onto the chair next to her.

He was no glutton, he took a moment to observe her appearance before he dug in. She honestly didn't look much different than usual. A flannel probably a size and a half too big, blue and gray plaid today, with a dark gray graphic tee shirt. The shirt was wrinkled from her posture, but it looked like some type of anime. Knowing Natalie, probably Soul Eater. She was also wearing a black beanie, as always, and black faded wash skinny jeans with blue converse. Again, not much different from the usual except-

“Monochromatic today?” Tae Joon lifted an eyebrow curiously. He was used to a lot of bright colors from her, typically orange. 

“Mm yeah. I thought you might notice and appreciate. I got the color scheme from one of your catalogues, Esquire, I think?”

Her roommate dipped his head and muttered, “Natalie. You're not supposed to talk about it…”

She chuckled, taking a sip of her milk. Tae Joon told anyone and everyone who asked that he was a Computer Science major. To her knowledge, she was the only one who knew he was majoring in Fashion Design.

By the time she was completely finished getting ready, and had approved herself in the mirror, it was 11:54. Cutting it a little close in her opinion, but this was a date after all, she wanted to look nice.

On the drive to the cafe she was supposed to be meeting this mystery woman at, she tried her best to drown out all the thoughts of her favorite customer. After scream singing along to the opening for Gurren Lagann, however, she knew her effort was futile. She could still clearly picture those dull blue eyes looking at her like a form of entertainment. 

Natalie sighed as she swung into a parking spot, 29 minutes early. She texted Anita and let her know she was there, they had set this up completely blind. She didn't even have the woman’s contact.

She walked in and immediately smelled the rich aroma of crushed coffee beans. She bought a piece of lemon pound cake at the counter to tide her over. The engineer prided herself on her politeness, she would wait for her date to get coffee.

Her phone chimed in her back pocket, so she set her stuff down at a table for two in the back left corner of the shop and pulled it out. It was from Anita.

Sorry Nat. My girl canceled. Said she had an emergency.

Natalie left it read. Well, shit. She tried her best not to be personally hurt, the girl had said it was an emergency. She finished her pound cake as she thought about whether she should get a coffee or go home and start on a lab that was due next week. 

Before she could get up, she heard the chime of the front door and felt the cold wind snake into the shop. 

Oh my God. Natalie thought, shooting her glance downward in an attempt to cover her face. It was her. That stupid...stupidly hot chick from the craft store a few days ago. 

The blonde was planning her stealthy escape when she heard footsteps and saw black combat boots stop on the floor in front of her. The woman had apparently made a B-line for her upon entering.

“Hey sunshine.” Said the same voice from her dreams. Sultry, confident, and a little bit husky. Vaguely, Natalie wondered how raspy her voice would sound in the morning. Specifically the morning after. 

She lifted her eyes reluctantly, glancing over her with her eyebrows raised in surprise. Having seen her legs in those work out shorts, Natalie had thought she'd be a little butch. This was not the case. Her favorite customer was wearing a powder blue sweatshirt with a black pleated skirt and boots she guessed were Doc Martens. She had about a million rings on and a hoop in her left nostril. Like a scary catholic school girl.

“Don't tell me you don't remember me.” The woman said teasingly after Natalie hadn't said anything. Suddenly, Natalie remembered how the brunette had disrespected the rules of her job. If this woman wanted to play bitch, then Natalie would too.

“I'm not sure, you seem a little forgettable.” She shot back, her inflection dead. The woman raised an eyebrow.

“So you only stutter at work then?”

“It's hard to follow policy when the customer is a prick.” Natalie bit out and watched her opponent’s smirk spread into a devilish grin.

“What a fun surprise.” She said and sat herself down across from Natalie. “I'm Renee, if you're curious.”

“I wasn't.” She huffed.

Renee was not the slightest bit deterred. “You know Natalie, that's what they always say…”

“How do you know my name?” Natalie’s voice was genuine, her eyebrows high once again.

“You wear a name tag at work, love.” She tapped her breastbone, indicating where a label would sit. “But, that being said, let's get to know each other.”

“I'd rather not.” Was the flippant reply, but it seemed not to reach the other side of the table.

“On that note, did you manifest me here or did fate just bring us together?” 

“Try bad luck. I'm supposed to be on a date, but they couldn't make it.” Natalie stated confidently. She Was Not intimidated by this woman. She had no problem telling her that she got stood up.

Almost immediately, Renee laughed, somewhere deep in her throat. It looked like she’d finally been told the punch line to an hour long joke. A joke told by herself, that is. Her laughter died out shortly and she leveled the engineer with a dark stare.

“Why say they? It's very clear that you like women.” The delivery was completely flat, as if she was stating a well known fact. Natalie’s cheeks caught fire and she scoffed to cover another stutter.

“You wish.” She was able to squeak out. 

“No, seriously. I mean, anyone who looks at your outfit can tell.” Natalie smiled when Renee had finished speaking. She wanted to talk about outfits? Natalie could do that.

“Oh yeah? And what about you? You look like you just came straight from filming a porno.” 

“One that you would watch?” The reply came instantaneously.

Fuck. How?! It felt like Renee had already heard this conversation and memorized a retort for each line. She was beating Natalie at her own game. Badly.

“So I win, then?” Renee teased, still grinning wildly. 

And that's exactly what this was. A game. Now this whole interaction made complete sense. The other woman was confident because she knew she was good. She was relaxed because she was dictating what happened. She was playing a game with Natalie.

“As pleasant as this has been,” The blonde started, rising from her seat and shouldering her bag. “I'm not five, so I have too much work to do to waste time on whatever dumb game you want to play.”

“Someone's a quitter.” Renee pretended to mutter to herself. This idiot really had no idea where the line was.

“Yeah, whatever.” Natalie responded as she began walking away. Frankly, she was on the verge of losing her shit.

“Oh don't worry,” She looked up at Natalie through her eyelashes, still sitting at the table. “We’ll have more fun tomorrow.” 

What?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the chapter being a little short. I'll try to make it longer next time. Anyways, thank you so much to each person taking the time to read this, and especially comment. I posted this 100% thinking that hardly anyone would read it. Your words mean so much. Also, play Apex with me! I play on both PC and Xbox. Let me know in the comments if you wanna squad-up. I'm a hound main.


	3. Wolf and Prey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renee chats with her roommate about her very interesting coffee date.

“Oh no,” Ajay lazily exclaimed from the couch when she saw Renee walking in the apartment with absolute deviance in her eyes. “What did yuh do now, Wraith?” 

Renee bit down on her smile, she felt that her nickname was very appropriately used in this situation. “Nothing, really.” She replied, knowing Ajay, she wouldn’t take the bait in favor of getting back to her video game. To Renee’s surprise, however, she posed another question.

“How was yuh date?” The brunette folded her lips together, thinking of how to phrase her words to elicit the maximum reaction from her roommate. It was growing more difficult, the longer that the two lived together, the more Ajay would ignore Renee’s antics.

“I cancelled it.” Was what she settled on, blunt delivery perfectly timed. The redhead sat up straight on the couch and her eyebrows pinched. A lecture could be read on her face.

“Rene!-”

“Hold on, it’s not what you think.” Renee sighed, letting herself fall back on the couch. She knew this warranted a 100% detailed explanation in Ajay’s eyes. Renee hated talking if she wasn’t entertained, and her roommate would scarcely entertain her antics anymore. She heaved her shoulders again, she had to start from the beginning. “A few days ago, I was coming home from the gym and I passed that one craftstore, the one professor Somers owns,”

“I don’t have her, the one off of Phoenix, ya?” She looked skeptical of this story so far, singular eyebrow raised and lips pursed. Nevertheless, she waited for Renee’s flamboyant streak to fade out of their conversation.

“Yeah, that one. Anyways, I glanced in the front and saw two of Anita’s friends working at the front counter. One with a high side ponytail and the other had long blonde hair. So I look forreal this time and fucking shit the blonde is hot.”

“Barf.”

“Shut up, Ajay. I mean, you know me, I see a cute girl, I walk in the store. But again, you know me so I really couldn’t resist playing around with her.” Ajay made another move to say something along the lines of ‘vomit’, so Renee continued talking before any sound was heard. “The short version is that I get her alone, and she’s stuttering and trying to be all customer service-y or whatever, so I just tease her for a bit and walk out. I figured it would make things interesting when we meet at a party or something,”

“So. . .then yuh couldn’t stop thinking about her and cancelled the date.” The ginger chimed in, grasping at straws. As per usual in a conversation with Renee, she was thoroughly lost.

“No, can you just shut the fuck up and let me finish?!”

“Yuh such a dick. Yuh swear like a middle schooler.” 

“I’ll kill you.” Renee responded, tone light, but making a threat nonetheless. 

“Oh yeah, perfect. Get me away from sharing an apartment with yuh.” As much as Renee was a witty little demon spawn, Ajay had enough practice that she could get a few hits in.

“Be quiet. Back to my story. Flashforward to, like, two hours ago. I pull into the handicapped parking spot to get a good look inside the coffee shop and guess who’s sitting there doing homework all coy and unbothered?!” 

Her roommate had to keep from sighing in disappointment, or laughing hysterically. As smart as Renee was, she was a real dumbass. Of course Ajay knew who was sitting there. Even if she hadn’t planned the damn thing she would’ve known.

“It’s Natalie! From the craft store! So I pull out my phone thinking ‘no harm done’ since I’m 15 minutes early, and tell Anita I’ve got an emergency. I mean, Ajay, there was no way I could pass up on messing with her. I walk inside and she immediately looks up at me like this-” She made a face, a ridiculous attempt at looking like a depressed kitten.

“So I start teasing her and she banters back like it’s nothing. Totally different from her attitude at work. She’s got bite to her words and fire in her eyes. Like, seriously, I wanna just fucking-”

“NOPE! No! No, next part of the story please!” Ajay cries and groans when she sees the smirk cross her friend’s face.

“You don’t want to know my gory fantasies?” Renee fakes a pout, popping her bottom lip out.

“Fuck nah I don’t wanna know! Please just finish this story so I can go back to playing Red Dead.” 

“Your loss. Whatever. So, yeah, I’m teasing her and then she says the craziest thing. Natalie says she was supposed to be meeting a date, but she cancelled!” The brunette takes a breath, steeping in the silence, anticipating Ajay’s shock.

“Wraith,” She speaks carefully, willing herself not to laugh just yet. “We set yuh up. . .on a date with Anita’s friend. . .who likes girls…” Ajay was trying to give Renee the chance to put the pieces together, but her friend’s face was devoid of recognition. She sighed and continued, “and yuh didn’t have even the slightest, vaguest inkling of an idea that it might, in some universe, be Natalie?”

Renee blinked. Blinked again. She was not stupid. She was strategical, intelligent. Had she really been that blind? And a more pressing matter, how was she supposed to save face in front of Ajay? There was no way she was getting out of this, the one hope she had was to completely derail the conversation and book it a one-way ticket to absolutely nowhere. 

“We’re all hanging out tonight, right? At Anita’s? A party?” She saw in Ajay’s eyes that she had dropped it, and she reached for her phone.

“Uhhhh, yeh. Anita’s invited us to their group's little weekend party. She also said they don’t know weh comin’ so show up fashionably late? Don’t give meh that look, that’s just what huh snap says.” After she said it though, she realized with a flush of relief, that Wraith’s look of pure contempt was not directed at her.

Her hooded eyes had turned, somehow, darker and had glazed over. Her mouth was not quite in the shape of a smile, but almost an animalistic snarl. Like a wolf stalking its prey.

She knew Renee’s affinity for messing with people, how she loved to play games. It was  
just a whole other experience bearing witness to her tactics. In moments like these, Ajay was reminded that her roommate was not some idiotic dickhead. When it came to getting what she wanted, the black haired woman was dark and visceral. 

The Haitian had never met Natalie, but she found herself hoping that Natalie had the skill set to deal with her ghost of a friend. 

********

Renee looked herself up and down in the mirror, excitement prickling her skin. She had decided not to change, same skirt, same sweatshirt, same boots, but she did braid her hair in double frenches. She was confident in her looks, very much so. She knew she had a good nose, sharp jawline, cloudy eyes, and she worked hard almost every day to keep her strong, toned figure.

As she gazed on, however, she was reminded of how Ajay had looked at her on the couch. Yes, she liked to push people’s buttons. But she wasn’t malicious and she certainly wasn’t evil. Renee could be a bit of a puppy, a dork, really, most of the time. It was only that she liked to have fun. Play around with people. And Natalie, Natalie was so damn good. 

The blonde pushed where Renee pulled. Took where she gave. For the first time ever, someone had kept up with her, played her game, and dug her heels into the ground rather than surrender. She couldn’t help it, it made Renee want to break her. 

And tonight, Wraith’s true game would begin, and Natalie would be there to play, game face and all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY THE CHAPTER IS SHORT. Ok don't be terrified, but Wraith's character is modeled somewhat after myself. Please let me know what you think!


	4. Hummingbird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita gives people nicknames, and Natalie learns Renee's. Pathfinder loves crafting.

“Your aim is disgraceful.” Hound said, making Elliot turn around to flip him off, consequently causing his on-screen death. The wannabe magician fell dramatically to his knees, Ramya prying the controller from his grip.

“Yeah, this is why we don’t let you play with us, motor mouth.” Came Tae Joon’s quiet voice. Elliot pouted and sulked towards the kitchen bar to grab a drink while Ramya started another match for herself.

Natalie observed her friend’s interactions fondly. She was thankful to be even a little bit distracted from her illogical amount of disappointment. She’d spent her entire morning shift chewing on her lip subconsciously and glancing out the front window every few seconds like a psycho. We’ll have more fun tomorrow. That’s what Renee had said. It made Natalie’s insides turn with a nauseating mix of anxiousness, expectance, and, although she pretended this one did not exist, frustrated arousal.

The black-haired, whore-skirt wearing woman knew exactly how to get Natalie riled up. She’d dreamt of their interaction (with a different ending) the night before, and was unable to think about anything else at work. Fortunately for her health, yet unfortunately for her nervous system, the woman never showed her face in the store. It was the longest shift she had ever worked.

Her day had dragged on with tireless thoughts and outlandish theories, perhaps a few wistful fantasies. In the end, after hours of thinking and wringing her hands, Natalie had decided that Renee had said that simply to work her up. Which, her plan had worked, but the blonde had surmised that she would probably never see the brunette again. She seemed like a total playboy, anyway.

At this point, sitting on the couch, she was actively willing herself not to care. Renee was just a random stranger who flirted with her the same way she does everyone else. Natalie wasn’t special. It was an unexpected crush and she would get over it, simple as that. Granted, it may take a few nights with her hand down her pants, but the engineer was nothing if not practical.

And the recurring thoughts of the woman fell under the category of 10,000% impractical.  
That is, until she struts through Anita’s apartment door like the place and everyone in it belongs to her.

*********

Although Natalie prided herself on being a quick thinker, she had trouble processing the myriad of events that happened at 9:36 that evening. 

“You guys made it!” Boomed Anita’s voice from the kitchen. The inhabitants of the couch all turned simultaneously to assess who exactly their friend had secretly invited.

The blonde only recognized two of the five faces at first. Loba, naturally, strutted inside first, followed by Ajay, who was grasping someone’s hand and pulling them along behind her. The guy in question had an unruly shade of spiked green hair, and was wearing a black face mask with shark teeth drawn on. The kid that glided in next was towering above everyone in the room, even Loba with her massive heels. He was awkward and lanky, with messy bleached hair and clear round glasses slipping on his nose. Despite what appeared to be a perpetual confused grin, he reminded her a little bit of Tsukki from Haikyuu!. 

All she needed to see was the boots. Any further than that and Natalie was in trouble, so she averted her eyes completely, electing to stare at the walking tree. Apparently Renee did not share the same feelings, because Natalie could feel herself being observed. Observed. Like a prize, was a thought that didn’t get too much attention.

Anita clapped her hands once and swept to the center of the living room, clamoring onto the coffee table. 

“Okay! Surprise everyone! My other friends are here. Introduce yourselves, play some Smash, and don’t worry too much about not hitting it off, I have vodka!” She finished with a flourish and hopped down to scamper towards the make-shift bar. Elliot and the man in Ajay’s grasp gave a holler. 

If the tingles rolling up and down her spine were any indication, Renee was still looking at Natalie with those milky gray eyes. She knew exactly what was about to transpire. So, before the brunette could take a single step in her direction, she shot off the couch and rushed over to where Tae Joon was exchanging pleasantries with the glasses kid.

“Hi. I’m Natalie. Nice to meet you.” She tilted her head in a charming smile.

“Hi Natalie, I’m your roommate.” Tae Joon drawled, eyebrows drawn together in annoyance. She ignored him, watching the bleach blonde light up like a Christmas tree at her gesture.

“Hi! I’m Marvin! I’m excited to meet you!” His awkward grin spread his cheeks wide, shifting his spectacles. He had the absolute weirdest manner of speaking. As genuine and cheerful as his voice was, it was also completely monotonous. Almost. . .robotic. 

The two blondes struck up a conversation easily, Tae Joon drifting away soon after to join Hound, Elliot, and Green Hair for a Smash Bros. tournament. They chatted about school, Marvin was majoring in botany and minoring in math, so they had a similarly overbearing workload.

Marvin was sunshine in a bottle, so, naturally, he and Natalie got along great. He was an awesome conversationalist, listening and talking in a scarily even proportion, despite the occasional non-sequitur he would drop. They’d started talking anime after Natalie complemented his Darling in the Franxx shirt.

“Mecha’s are my favorite genre. I like robots!” He exclaimed. How fitting.

“I’ve seen a few, I think the best is Gur-”

Marvin suddenly jolted forward with a hollow smack between his shoulder blades. Seemingly from the shadows, the object of Natalie’s fears and desires came to stand at Marvin’s side. Her skirt floated to a halt and she clasped her hands together in front of her exposed thighs. Damn, that was a short skirt.

“So I see you’ve met the walking computer.” There was a clear smile in Renee’s voice, if the woman ever actually smiled rather than smirking. 

“Hi Wraith!” 

“I have and, unsurprisingly, he’s a whole lot more pleasant than you are.” Natalie retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. The ravenette huffed and something wild flashed in her eyes.

“Marv. . .” Renee put a hand on the tall boy’s shoulder and pointed across the room rather vaguely. “Anita, Loba’s girlfriend, runs a craft store.” 

His eyebrows shot upwards, wrinkling his red, blotchy skin. “How neat! I love knitting! And floral arrangement, and-” 

“Well, go ask her about it, then!” Renee tried her best to match his cheerful inflection, but it sounded more like she was calling for help in the midst of being strangled. She once again shoved a hand between his shoulder blades, giving him a small push before he willingly scampered off.

“Wraith, huh?” Natalie quirked her brow. If she had to converse with this girl tonight, which she most definitely didn’t want to, then she was going to try her best to pester her. 

“I’m sure Anita gives you guys nicknames too. Mine just stuck more better than others.” She sighed airily and lifted her arms as if in surrender. “I guess people think I’m evil.” 

Natalie barked a laugh into the thick air between them. “How could anyone possibly think that?” 

The taller woman seemed to ponder over this for a moment, looking past Natalie thoughtfully. She continued to stay quiet until Natalie felt compelled to glance over her shoulder. As she twisted her neck, Renee spoke up again.

“Could you show me to the bathroom?” She asked politely, attempting to look innocent. As if that would work.

“Hah. It’s just down that hallway, second door on the left.” 

Continuing her act, she coyly looked at Natalie and grazed her teeth on the very corner of her bottom lip. Tension seeped into the space separating them, which suddenly felt a lot smaller. The atmosphere impacted like invisible walls in all directions, making her ears buzz.

Natalie had had days worth of fantasies about those lips, that smirk, those teasing remarks. The way ‘Wraith’ had eyed her like something she’d wanted that day in the store, it had left Natalie feeling desperate.

“I’m not really,” A light chuckle, “that great with directions.” Her left hand dropped to fidget with the hem of her skirt, running the flannel fabric between her fingers like a field of wheat disturbed by the wind.

But, Natalie was smart, and she had immaculate control over herself. As practiced as she was, it’s not like they hadn’t met before, she could see through Renee’s little ‘shy’ act. The blonde had the presence of mind to maintain control of this situation.

“Hah. I’m sure. Go by yourself or piss you pants.” As she said this, though, Renee’s eyebrows knitted in distress.

“Natalie, please. I really just don’t feel all that comfortable walking around someone else’s house. Especially when I don’t know them that well.”

What? Suddenly, Natalie wasn’t too sure that this was an act. The girl had shared feelings of discomfort, a please had rolled off her tongue. Natalie loved and took pride in being a helpful, kind-hearted person. What’s the big deal? It’s not as if Renee wins anything by being escorted to the bathroom. 

Natalie hadn’t learned, though. Renee was the kind of person who just came with consequences following on her heels like a puppy. She was impulsive, arrogant, and devilish, yet Natalie had taken pity on her, even for just a moment. But apparently, a moment was all Renee needed to get what she wanted.

And it was through Natalie’s misjudgment that she ended up pressed tightly against the bathroom door, hot breath on her cheeks and heart pattering like the wings of a hummingbird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy valentines day. im alone and snowed in today so i thought i'd write some more of wraith teasing wattson.
> 
> i read the last chapter to my friend and she was like 'dude renee is just like u'. admittedly, i was embarrassed cuz that wasn't my intention, but enjoy the chapter.
> 
> lmk what you think!!


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